Well, Well, Well

Of all the Avos, the Torah really tells us the least about Yitzchok Avinu. Whereas there are multiple Parshios, and therefore numerous Pessukim, that speak about Avrohom and Yaakov, this week’s Sedra is really the only one devoted to the life of Yitzchok. That being said, it is interesting to note that a relatively large portion of the Parsha is devoted to a topic that seems rather difficult to connect to our lives. Keeping in mind the rubric of Maaseh Avos Siman L’Banim, however, we know that this cannot be the case. Let us therefore examine this part of the Parsha in order to learn a lesson that can apply in our own lives.

The Torah tells us that when there was a famine in Eretz Yisroel, Yitzchok Avinu traveled to Gerar, the land of Avimelech, and was told by Hakadosh Baruch Hu that he should not travel to Mitzrayim, rather he should stay in Gerar, within the boundaries of Eretz Yisroel. The Pessukim then tell us of the travails of Yitzchok and Rivka in Gerar, and about the success that Yitzchok experienced there. In fact, he was so successful that Avimelech, afraid that Yitzchok would come to rule the land, asked him to leave: “Lech M’Imanu Ki Atzamta Mimenu Meod.” As a result, Yitzchok traveled to an area outside the city known as Nachal Gerar.

The next series of Pessukim discuss the Be’eros that Yitzchok and his servants dug while in Nachal Gerar. First, Yitzchok opened the wells that Avrohom had dug many years prior, which had since been closed by the Pelishtim. Then, his servants dug new wells, which were the source of further contention between Yitzchok and Avimelech, leading to an eventual truce made between them.

At first glance, it is difficult to understand why these details of Yitzchok’s life are important for us to know. As the Passuk attests, Yitzchok was quite successful and had many fields and animals, and it only stands to reason that he would need wells from which to draw the water nessecary to sustain his possessions. Why does the Torah deem it necessary to tell us about each of the wells that was opened and how Avimelech and his cohorts reacted? There is, however, another part of the story that the Torah tells us that is in a way so difficult to understand that it compels us to assume there is a deeper meaning to this whole Parsha.

Besides telling us about the wells that were dug, the Torah informs us of the names given to them by Yitzchok Avinu. The initial set of wells, that we first dug by Avrohom, were given their original names as the Passuk says: “VaYikra Lahem Shemos K’Shemos Asher Karah Lahen Aviv,” Yitzchok referred to these Be’eros by the same names that his father had. For each of the new wells, Yitzchok gave them a name that referred to the way that the locals reacted. The first well, for example, was called “Esek”, which means contention, “Ki Hisashku Imo”, because the natives contended with him about ownership of the well. The remaining wells were similarly named as well.

The entire concept of naming wells is very difficult to understand—why did Yitzchok have to give the Be’eros names at all? Was this a normative practice at the time, or was there a specific reason that Yitzchok did so? Whatever his reason, though, from the fact that the Torah expends so many Pessukim telling us exactly what the Be’eros were called it is clear that there is a lesson for us to learn from the names, and indeed the entire story of the Be’eros.

As always, in order to properly understand the meaning of a particular set of Pessukim, it is instructive to see how they are discussed in the Divrei Chazal.

The Gemarah in Brachos brings this Passuk in regards to an interesting topic. There is a series of Memros in the final Perek of the Mesechta wherein Chazal explain the significance of certain items when seen in a dream. One item discussed is a well, and the Gemarah says: “HaRoeh Be’er BaChalom, Roeh Shalom,” if one sees a well in his dream it is a sign that Shalom, peace, awaits him. The Gemarah proves this from the Passuk that says: “VaYachperu Avdi Yitzchok B’Nachal VaYimtzu Sham Be’er Mayim Chaim”.

Obviously the Gemarah is tying the concept of Shalom to our Pessukim and the Be’eros of Yitzchok, leading the Maharsha to ask a striking question: the Be’ros that Yitzchok dug were the source of anything but Shalom. After each well was opened, the people of Gerar argued and laid claim to the water—why then does the Gemarah see these very wells as a sign of peace?

Keeping in mind this question, the Gemarah clearly adds to the notion that we require a better understanding of this part of the Parsha. Let us therefore see how the Medrashim treat these Pessukim.

The Medrash Rabba here brings a Machlokes as to how many Be’eros were dug in Nachal Gerar: R’ Yehuda says there were four, and the Rabbanan say there were five. For each opinion, the Medrash notes a reward that Yitzchok and his offspring received that corresponded to the number of wells: according to R’ Yehudah, the four Degalim under which Bnei Yisroel camped in the Midbar were a reward for the four wells dug by Yitzchok, and according to the Rabbanan, the five Chumashim of the Torah were the reward.

As far as the number of wells that were dug, the Pessukim can certainly be read according to both opinions, the rewards brought by the Medrash, however, are more difficult to understand. Why did Yitzchok receive a reward at all for digging these Be’eros, and how do these rewards—specifically the Degalim—relate to his actions? Why are these the Schar for digging wells?

Perhaps the key to answering these questions can be found in yet another Ma’amar Chazal, brought in the Medrash HaGadol on the words “VaYikra Lahem Shemos K’Shemos Asher Karah Lahen Aviv.” The Medrash there brings a Mashal to someone who buys a house, and names it, and then passes it on to his son. The way of the world is that when the son adds to the house, putting his own mark on it, he renames it. Yitzchok Avinu acted differently however: he opened the wells dug by Avrohom and called them by the very same names. As a reward, continues the Medrash, Yitzchok was the only one of the Avos whose name never changed. Whereas Avrohom was originally called Avrom and Yaakov’s name was changed to Yisroel, Yitzchok retained his name for his entire life.

Once again we are presented with a Medrash that points out a reward for Yitzchok’s actions, but neither the Schar, nor its cause, are readily understood. Why did Yitzchok receive reward for retaining the names given by Avrohom? Chizkuni notes a very practical reason for doing so: by using their original names, Yitzchok established his rights to the Be’eros by dint of inheritance. Why then was he rewarded for doing so, and how was the fact that he “kept” the name given to him at birth a reward in any case?

Perhaps, though, this Medrash highlights one of the Midos of Yitzchok, which can help us understand this entire story in a different way.

In Parshas Lech Lecha, Hashem tells Avrohom that he is going to have a son, and he should be called Yitzchok. Rabbeinu Bachya, there, speaks about the fact that Yitzchok’s name was not changed, as the Medrash Hagadol says. He explains that the reason for this was the Yitzchok lived a different life than his father and son.

Avrohom was so called because he rose to the Madregah for which he was to be the “Av Hamon Goyim” and his name had to reflect that reality, and Yaakov got the name Yisroel because he battled the Saro Shel Esav and he won: “Ki Sarisah Im Elokim, VaTuchal.” Yitzchok Avinu was different, says Rabbeinu Bachya, because his life did not include such moments of radical change. Yitzchok was born in Eretz Yisroel and stayed there his entire life—he led a stable existence and his name was therefore never changed because circumstances didn’t require it.

As we know, the central Middah of Yitzchok Avinu was Gevurah, which is badly translated as “strength.” R’ Dessler explains that real Gevurah is defined by a total Hisbatlus of one’s own Ratzon to the Ratzon HaBorei. A Gibor is Kovesh Es Yitzro because he wishes to do only that which is willed by the Yotzer Kol—that is how he leads his life. If we take this definition of Gevurah into account, the words of Rabbeinu Bachaya can be well understood.

Human nature is that a person wishes to put his own mark on the world, to take that which he finds and improve it in some way, making it his own. When he inherits a house from his father, he adds to it, and makes the improvements that he sees fit, and then gives it a new name, indicating his ownership. One who exhibits Gevurah, however, has no such desire—he takes the world as it is presented to him, living in what he sees as a manifestation of the Ratzon Elyon.

When Yitzchok Avinu opened the Be’eros, he gave them the names that were given by Avrohom because he had no desire to change the world as he saw fit, but to exist in the reality of the Ratzon Hashem. His reward was therefore quite befitting: as Rabbeinu Bachaya explained, Yitzchok kept his name because his life was one of relative stability. Because he exhibited this Middah of Gevruah, preferring to maintain the world that was given to him, the “Shemos Asher Karah Lahen Aviv”, he was allowed to lead a life that precluded the need for a change in name.

Based on this idea we can understand the reward of the Degalim as cited in the Medrash Rabba as well.

Although the Pessukim in Bamidbar detail four main Degalim, under which the various Shevatim were grouped, the Netziv in Hamek Davar there, explains that in actuality each Shevet had its own Degel, with an icon that related to it, and in fact each family had its own Degel as well, which was a smaller version of its Shevet flag that had a number representing the family itself. The Degalim, then, are a representation of the fact that each family, and individual, is really part of a larger group, of something bigger. Though we each different, out connection to that which came before us is what defines us—the Middah of Gevurah, though not perfected, is in each of us as we try to hew a path defined not only by our own desires, but by Ratzon Hashem in the footsteps of our Avos.

The Gemarah in Brachos can be understood through this prism as well. The Alter of Kelm explains that Shalom is not to be defined as peace, but Menucha—the ultimate Shalom is peace of mind, if not of circumstance. When Yitzchok was met with opposition by the servants of Avimelech, he just dug another well. His exitance in the world of Gevurah allowed him the ultimate Menucha because he saw only the manifestation of the Ratzon Hashem, precluding any stress or discomfort. Thus, if one sees a Be’er in a dream, he should look forward to true Shalom—the Menucha represented by Yitzchok’s Be’eros.

We see then that this seemingly esoteric portion of our Sedra is in fact replete with important messages. We must strive for the Middah of Gevurah exhibited by Yitzchok Avinu, attempting to live in a world defined not by our own wishes, but by a desire to fulfil the Ratzon HaBorei in the Derech Yisroel Saba as exhibited by those who paved our way.